This one is huge, people. If you didn't already know, and aren't already reading along in the two threads we're discussing this, this one could be for an NFL tiebreaker. Plus, it is a game we need to win so that we don't have to beat the league's most talented teams later to compensate.
The Bills are 5-3. We are 5-3. This, for all intents and purposes, is a playoff game. And it's in ****ing Buffalo, a place where they're
almost as starved for playoff success as we are. Even worse, they're coming off a bye.
What the hell happened in Buffalo? This team was a hopeless dope of a franchise for years. They were awful last year. Now, they're suddenly competent and possibly even good? Without a running game??? What??
I'll tell you what happened. Kyle ****ing Orton happened. All of a sudden, the Bills have a QB who doesn't Belcher their entire chance at success. Orton can, you know, actually pass the ball, can adequately read defenses, and doesn't make gargantuan ****ing mistakes like EJ Manuel and Jeff Tuel did. And prepare yourself for this week, because Claythan is going to be blowing Orton all week and it's going to be ridiculous.
Orton's having a very good year by his standards, but there's two major catches to his success:
- The Bills do not have a run game, and therefore depend on Orton for their offensive success.
- He is still Kyle Orton.
That means you can expect Orton's effectiveness to evaporate like a Chiefs fan's hopes and dreams when he's under pressure. You can also expect him to struggle squeezing the ball into tight windows, which is why Orton has historically been terrible in the red zone.
He's been better this year in the red zone, but still nobody's idea of a world beater. The primary reason he's been getting some success is because they have their own Percy Harvin, which we apparently struggle mightily with, named Sammie Watkins. This Watkins kid isn't the polished route-runner that Harvin is, but he's bigger and every bit as athletic. He can absolutely torch people, and the Chiefs need to have this asshole on lockdown.
After that, they have several nice, adequate weapons in supporting roles. I've always really liked Scott Chandler at TE, and angled a few years back for the Chiefs to pick him up in FA. Mike Williams is a big WR who had a super productive year in Tampa and can still have a big catch from time to time, Robert Woods is a smooth route runner, and Marquise Goodwin is a re-****ing-diculous speedster.
At RB, it's a mess. Fred Jackson has missed time, and will probably be out. CJ Spiller is dead. Their lead RB, and this is true, is a guy named
Boobie Dixon. Also known as Anthony Dixon, he was a 245 lbs, fatass plodder that the 49ers could never find use for. He's meh. They also have Bryce Brown, who is alright.
I really like their OL, which is a reason Orton's been able to sling it fairly well. Cordy Glenn is a ridiculous monster athlete of a LT, but he's still learning and is very young. Seantrel Henderson is another extremely large, very athletic tackle at RT, just a great pair of gigantic athletes there. Erik Wood is a decent, capable center, nothing special, but I don't know much about how Cyril Richardson and Erik Pears are playing at guard. Maybe we've got some New Englanders here who can enlighten us.
So that's a capable offense. But the defense is why they are 5-3.
This defensive line is impossible. Mario Williams is not the game changer he once was, but he gets his off the edge. The middle of the DL is probably the best the NFL has to offer: Marcel Dareus and Kyle Williams are ****ing impossible. They disrupt anything and everything, and are ferocious against the pass (Dareus has SEVEN SACKS) and the run. Shit... is about to get real. Off the other edge they have Jerry Hughes, a former 1st round bust who is off pace to notch 11 sack this year. This DL is the worst.
I don't know anything about Nigel Bradham at OLB, who apparently leads their team in tackles. Keith Rivers is injured again, so they play rookie Preston Brown at the other OLB spot -- Brown is not terribly athletic, but is a sound tackler. They have Brandon Spikes at ILB, the epitome of slow and heady.
Expect a heavy dosage of Stephon Gilmore on Bowe. Gilmore is a physical, smart corner who is a true #1 CB. Leonis McKelvin is a former 1st round bust -- great athlete, but very average at the #2 CB position -- which is probably enough against our poverty receiving corps.
Aaron Williams has been reborn as a very good safety in Buffalo after playing poorly as a CB early in his career. I don't know a damn thing about Da'Norris Searcy but his stats indicate a jack of all trades, and a master of none.
This is one of those games you get up for, people. It's going to be a very intense week getting up for this game, and having to put up with Claynus' Orton-whoring this week won't make it much better.
Let's win this ****ing game.
